Christian
spirit.

That means practically a new heathenism, no longer asleep but wide-awake;
no longer being manipulated by the Western nations, but maybe manipulating
and managing them. An aroused, organized, energized heathen world, with
all the science and inventiveness and restless aggressiveness of the
western nations and, mark you--<i>and</i> all the spirit of the old, Godless,
Christless heathenism dominating its new life--that is the danger.

The heathen world is awake at last after a sleep of centuries. It is
sitting up, rubbing its eyes, and taking notice. It is entering upon a new
life. That's as clear as a sunbeam on a cloudless morning. What that life
shall be depends entirely on the Church waking up. That means, to be more
practical, that it depends on you and me waking up, just now, and doing
what we easily can. It <i>may</i> be a new <i>Christian</i> life, shot through and
through with the blessed principles and spirit of Jesus. It <i>may</i> be a new
life of energized, Westernized heathenism! They may get merely our energy
and mental awakeness without the Christian spirit that gave these to us.

These two opposite things are standing by the bedside eying each other.
Which will get the patient? Who knows? If the Church fail--!

This is a real peril seriously threatening. It is probably far more grave
and far more likely than the best-informed and keenest observer is aware
of.

<u>A Powerless Christianity.</u>

Then there is a second danger climbing in fast on the heels of this, that
is already being plainly felt. <i>These peoples may turn away from a
Christianity that seems powerless to them.</i> As they come to know better
the simple principles of our faith they may see that we are not true to
it. Our Master bade us go everywhere and tell all men of Him, and tell
them most and best by the way we live. But we haven't done it. The Church
of the past nineteen centuries, taken as a whole, hasn't done it. The
Church to-day, taken as a whole, isn't doing it.

How many times have the missionaries been obliged to listen to the
question, which is a reproach rather than a question, "Why didn't you come
before? My father lived and died in distress, seeking for this light you
bring us now. <i>Why didn't your father come and tell my father?"</i> If they
find that our faith hasn't gripped <i>us</i> enough to master our lives they
will naturally doubt if, after all, there is any more real practical
power